An Unlikely Pair
by Elyse Bennet
Summary: lilyjames (marauders included). a comedyromance that begins in the beginning of sixth year. begins as the waters between lily and james are tepid but soon come to a boil if you know what i mean. crap summary i know, but you shall have to read to find out
1. It's off to school we go

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor the world they live in. I DO however own the rights to my characters that I make up (Vivian) and the plots that involve the characters.

"Finally" Lily Evans sighed as she placed the last sweater inside her trunk. She had been packing the majority of the past week, and readying her self for her return to Hogwarts. Not only would this be her sixth year there, but she had also been appointed again as the Gryffindor prefect.

"Yet another year with the insufferable James Potter," she said to herself as she flopped onto her bed. Ever since they had gone out in first year, both Lily and James had problems getting along. Lily thought that he was an annoyingly arrogant quidditch player that couldn't think his way out of a plastic bad, and James thought that she was a stuck up know it all who needed to have more fun. Needless to say, it was always an interesting event when the two of them were forced into the same room.

"Maybe this year he will learn not to mess around with the wrong girl," she added with an evil grin on her face.

"Mom wants me to ask if you're all packed," sneered a sour voice from the doorway. Petunia, Lily's older sister, had come to hate her sister. Partly because she was a witch, and also because her parents had always seemed more proud of Lily's accomplishments than of her own. "As you know, Vernon is coming in an hour for a nice dinner and I don't want anything to go wrong." Petunia said through gritted teeth. "If anything at all out of the ordinary happens……well, let's just say that your last few days here won't be pleasant."

"I won't do anything, I promise," Lily replied, raising her hand and placing it on her chest.

"Yes, well you better stick to that promise." Petunia said, slamming the door behind her.

"Honestly, I sometimes wonder if we are from the same planet, much less related."

"Ha! I got you!" James exclaimed as he pelted his best friend, Sirius in the back with a Filibuster Firework.

"Oh!" Sirius groaned while rubbing his lower back where the firework hit. "Those things do hurt, you know."

"I know, but it's just so much fun to see the look on your face when you get hit with one from behind."

"You dirty bastard. You just wait," Sirius said with a mad look coming across his face. "I know where you sleep."

Both boys laughed as they opened the back door and walked into James's house.

"Good morning Mrs. Potter."

"Morning Mum."

"Hello boys! Wonderful morning, isn't it? Oh, Sirius dear what happened to the back of your shirt?" Mrs. Potter asked, looking at the scorched fabric that used to be the bottom half of Sirius's shirt.

"That's an interesting question. Why don't you ask James?"

"James," she said, her voice losing its jovial tone. "What did you do this time?"

"Nothing mum! I swear he had it coming though." James tried to defend himself, all the while wrestling with the toaster. "Damn thing," he mumbled under his breath.

"It's not plugged in, James. And what, might I ask, did Sirius do this time?"

"I can answer that!" exclaimed Sirius, his head still half way inside the fridge. "All I did," he explained, as he took a bid bite out of a turkey sandwich, Sirius's idea of breakfast food was whatever her could get his hands on. Swallowing, he continued. "You see, all I did was express the truth."

"Oh, and I suppose that bewitching my prefect badge to say "Pimp Daddy" is your version of the truth?"

"Honestly though," Sirius said turning to face Mrs. Potter. "You should see him at school. I think he has dated more girls than there are penguins at the zoo."

"Penguins. Really. Well, anyway I had best be getting to work. I think that some new paper work has come in concerning, well, maybe it's best if I didn't talk about it with you boys." And with that, Mrs. Potter disappeared with a small POP.

"Better finish packing, hadn't we?" James asked finally giving up on toast. The things muggles think up!

"Sure," Sirius agreed, pushing the door open with one hand, and with the other stuffing his face with yet another sandwich.

James couldn't resist, the timing was just too perfect.

"OHHHHH!" Sirius yelled, spraying half chewed sandwich all over the floor. "That hurts!"

"But you should SO see your face!" James said laughing.

"Just remember, I know where you sleep, Prongs."

"All ready?" Lily's father, Peter, asked from the driver's seat.

"Yup, Dad. Double checked last night."

"Then I guess we had better get going." The trip to King's Cross Station was only ten minutes, yet it seemed as if it was ten years to Lily. She was smiling out the window, thinking about seeing her friends and also finally making the idiot James pay. Most of the punishments that came to mind though, even the Death Eaters wouldn't use, so she came tot he conclusion that although they were fun to dream about, the likeliness of them ever coming to pass was one in a million. While she was dreaming about her latest form of torture, a voice cut into her thoughts.

"Lily, we're here honey," her mother said for the seat in front of her.

"Great," Lily breathed, brimming with excitement.

As she and her parents made their way to the barrier between platforms nine and ten, they started to say their good byes. Glancing back one last time before making the final dash at the brick divider, Lily tried to file away the image of her two parents gleefully waving at her.

"Ahhh," she thought getting her first look at the scarlet engine waiting to take them back to Hogwarts. "Home sweet home."

"Lily!" someone screamed from farther down the platform. Turning to see who had been calling her name, Lily stopped and pushed her cart in the direction of the voice. As she turned, her trolley collided with something. All Lily saw was a flash of black and then a loud grunt as something, or rather someone, hit the ground hard.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going!" Lily exclaimed as she bent down to examine the black heap on the cement. "Are you hurt badly?"

"Why don't you watch where you're going?" said the lump as it turned over to reveal its self as none other than Severus Snape.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to hit you with my cart. Is there anything hurt?" Lily asked concerned.

"You mean besides me pride? No, not that I know of. I guess that the least you can do for me is help me pick up my books after you so rudely plowed me down with your cart. You're Lilly Evans, right?" said the boy with a bored look.

"Yes, but you can just call me Lily. And you are Severus Snape, I presume?" she said extending her hand.

"Yes, I guess it is nice to finally meet face to face after six years," said the boy, taking her hand, but holding it loosely as if he thought she had come highly contagious decease.

"You're in Slytherin right?"Lily asked trying to continue with the conversation.

"Yes." Said the boy, once more returning to his bored voice. "I already know what house your in"

"And what is it?" Lily asked smiling.

"Gryffindor." He stated simply.

"Really, and how would you know that?" Lily asked in a curious voice.

"Your prefect badge says so," the boy stated with a smirk, Snape didn't disclose that every male in the entire school knew what house the "red haired goddess" was in. He obviously thought it was funny he could have so easily outsmarted Lily.

"Well, I guess that I'll have to be watching out for you this year, Severus." Lily said with a smile.

"LILY!!!!! Are you deaf or something? I have been screaming you name all the way down the platform! People were starting to give me strange looks," the girl who had just emerged from the crowd informed Lily. Sure enough, most of the other people on the platform were starring in the direction of the two of them.

"Honestly, I sometimes think that I can't take you anywhere," Lily said in a mock serious voice.

"Well maybe if we got you a hearing aid, then I wouldn't have to scream at the top if my lungs to get you attention!" the girl said back. "Miracle ear!"

"Thanks Viv, I'll try to remember that next time I'm talking and you interrupt." Lily told the girl with a shove. Vivian Johnson had been Lily's best friend ever since first year. She was loud, random and borderline insane and was almost the exact opposite of Lily, partly why they got along so well.

"So we're playing ruff are we now?" Viv said with a shove to return Lily's, and also sending her crashing into Snape for the second time that day.

"Sorry," Lily apologized as she stepped back and gave her friend a menacing look, only to find that Vivian was doing the same to Snape.

"Snape," Vivian regarded him coolly.

"Vivian! Long time no see, I believe that the last time I saw you, you were pondering the origins of Chicken of the Sea. You're quite the modern day philosopher." Snape said, returning her cool glance.

"I'm sure that people all over the world wonder why they write chicken in the title, when in fact it's really tuna that's inside."

"Yes, and I'm sure they're all under the age of five."

"At least I've heard of shampoo, slime ball." Vivian said, starting to loose her cool. Lily knew that she had to do something before Vivian just abandoned words and hauled off and hit Snape. She wasn't the smartest when it came to thinking up snide remarks, so she often just resorted to various forms of violence to prove her point.

"Shouldn't we be getting onto the train?" Lily asked, as she pulled her friend with her towards the compartment door. "Nice to meet you Severus." She called as the disappeared into the train.

"What were you doing with him?" Viv asked as they sat down in an empty compartment of the train.

"I accidentally hit him with my trolley and felt bad. Nothing happened, I swear. By the way, I don't know why every one hates him; he's nice. The only reason that no one likes him is because of that pompous James Potter and his gang going around and spread rumors about him. I'd heard them all before, but when I actually talked with Snape, he wasn't half as bad as everyone has him set out to be."

"Listen to you! Taking the side of the enemy! If the marauders ever hear about you saying this, I'm not quite sure what they'd do!"

"How about make her give me a kiss?" said a voice from the doorway.

"In your dreams Sirius," said Lily, not even bothering to turn her head away from the window.

"Your right, but in my dreams we usually get a lot father than kissing," Sirius said with a grin.

"Wow, that was way more than we needed to know about you Sirius," Viv said as she covered her eyes in fake disgust.

"Just be glad that I haven't told you about the dreams that I have evolving you, Viv," Sirius smiled. "Let's just say that you're mighty flexible."

"One, GROSS! And two, I'm way out of your league, perv."

"Ah, how I've missed your biting remarks, and not to mention the mind blowing discussions on canned fish." He said as he turned to face the girl opposite Lily, and sat down next to her. "So be truthful. Were there days when you just thought that you couldn't go on without seeing my beautiful face?"

"Oh, every night was agony without you," Viv said as she rolled her eyes.

"As it should be. You haven't seen the guys have you? James said that he was going up to the prefect compartment, but I still can't seem to find Remus and Peter."

"Oh my god! I forgot to go to the prefect compartment!" Lily said as she quickly leapt for the door.

"Already spacing out and it's only the first day, tsk tsk tsk," Sirius said shaking his head. "Oh well, I guess Viv and I will just have to sit here in the compartment all alone…….with no one around……….just you and me…….." He said trying his best to put on a seductive voice. It was common fact that Sirius had feelings for Vivian even though he was the biggest flirt second only to the infamous James. The whole school seemed to know it except for Vivian.

"Ummm, I think that maybe we should be trying to find Remus and Peter," Viv said nervously as she eyed Sirius's devilish grin and not liking it one bit.

"Hope you find them," Lily called as she an out the door.

"So, what do you want to do now?" Sirius asked, his grin spreading wider.

"Sorry I'm late," Lily panted as she bursted through the door and into the prefect's compartment.

"Well, well, well. It seems that you not only run people over with trolleys, but you also enjoy being late. You're on the road to Head Girl with behavior like that. Just remember us little people when you get to the top." Said a cool voice from the corner.

"Sorry. It won't happen again, I promise." Lily said blushing. She didn't really know how else to respond to a comment like that.

"No need to be sorry. It's Snape that should be sorry." Said another voice from inside the compartment.

"Umm, why?" Lily asked questioningly.

"For having a stick up his arse." replied a boy with unruly black hair and bright blue eyes that made the female population or Hogwarts, excluding Lily, swoon. As he stood and made his was to where Lily was just starting to sit.

"I was wondering when I would be seeing you, Mr. Potter." Lily said as James slid into the seat across from her and starred out the window.

"Nice seeing you too Lily. You always sound so excited every time we meet."

"Well what did you expect? On the last day of term last year you set my hair on fire!" Lily replied angrily, still remembering having to grow back her hair the night before she went back home on the Hogwarts Express.

"It was an accident, GEEZ! Your like an elephant, you never forget anything."

"Well I don't think that you would be quick to forget being completely bald, not to mention having blue flames surrounding you head. And by the way, it's so kind of you to compare me to an elephant, does loads for my self esteem."

"Well, I'm sure when we start classes up again, the teachers will waste no time in building it back up." He said coolly.

"At least I don't have to prove my magical skills and cleverness by picking on students and playing stupid pranks!"

Saying this made her flash back to the time when Sirius had messed up the bubblehead charm. Instead of performing the charm on the hedgehog that Professor McGonagall had given them to practice with, he hit Lily's butt instead. No one had mentioned anything to her the whole day and she had walked around the hallways with a butt the size of a small child. Ahh, such fond memories of walking to class and having James and his crew follow her around chanting "Bubble Butt" in her ear. The only satisfaction she got form the whole event was the look on their faces when she told them that they had lost Gryffindor a whopping 50 points each for their little stunt.

"That's quite a remark coming from someone who once had a butt the size of a small country." Said James reading her mind.

"Arrrrgggggh! Why do I even bother????" Lily said as she stormed over to the corner furthest away from where James was sitting.

"Potter troubles?" Snape asked, leaning on the table as he emerged form the shadows.

"Yes, but nothing new there," Lily sighed, shaking her head. "I wonder if his parents meant from him to become a great big git, or if that's something he picked up from Sirius."

"Sirius giving you problems as well?" Snape curiously asked.

"No, he's just being Sirius and you know how that is." Lily rolled her eyes and thought about poor Viv and what she must be putting up with at the moment.

"Yes, sometimes I wonder how the two of them can put their socks on in the morning. After all, they're not the brightest bulbs in the box, although some of their stunts make them appear otherwise."

"The thing is that they never leave the proof to get caught, which makes them seem smarter that they act. Wait, did I just defend them?" Lily thought. Damn, she was never any good at insults.

"I think that no matter how hard you try, you will always forgive those who you truly care about." Snape replied.

"Wow, I think that's Hallmark card material right there. Where did you get all this deep mumbo-jumbo?"

"It comes as a result of having nothing better to do than think of advice. I do have friends though, it's not like I'm some big loser who has no one to talk with."

"Really? Cause you had me going there for a while?"

"Ahh, we were just talking about you James. Some thing along the lines of egotistical, pig and bastard."

"Ouch Snape. Looks like you finally got some courage this summer." James smirked. It wasn't like Snape to insult him. Snape usually was too scared to even talk in James's presence without Malfoy along for protection.

"Looks like someone got an even bigger head over the summer." Snape replied.

By the looks on both the boys' faces it would only be minutes until one boy was on the ground being pummeled and that would most likely be Snape.

"James," Lily said pulling on his sleeve and leading him towards the door to the compartment. "Why don't we go and try to find Viv, and the rest of the Marauders?"

"Anything to get away from this prat."

"Finally!" Viv breathed a sigh of relief. By the looks of things, a half hour with Sirius had really been trying her patience.

"Hey! I'm sure my company wasn't that bad!" Sirius said with a hurt voice as he made his way to where Lily and James stood in the doorway. "I feel so unwanted and hurt! Why don't you come comfort me in the bathroom Lily," he said putting his arms around her pushing her into a seat and proceeding to jump on top of her.

"I think I might have to pass on that one, but I'm sure that James would be more than happy to take my place." Lily giggled as she was smothered by Sirius's weight.

"I'm sure he would," said a sandy haired boy in the doorway. He looked tired, but then again, the full moon had been only two nights ago.

"Nice to see you Remus!" exclaimed Lily from underneath Sirius.

"Come on you ol' prat," Remus said as he lifted Sirius off a crushed and slightly airless Lily. Standing up, she gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, how come he gets a kiss?" Sirius complained.

"Because he isn't a randy git like you are." Viv said from her position near the window.

"I'm only randy around you my love. My feelings are just sometimes to much for me to hold inside."

"I don't really know how to take that last comment," Viv said with a confused look. She shook her head though, and said brightly, "You know what? I think that it would be so awesome to have a mascot for the quidditch team. What do you think, James? Maybe we could have some one dressed up as a bludger and they could run around the stands and hit people. Not very hard of course," Vivian was the seeker on the quidditch house team, and her mind always seemed to be focused on new and slightly crazy ideas on ways to make the games more fun.

"Umm, sounds good." Man this girl is random he thought. "Although where are we going to find someone to run around in a bludger suit across the pitch?" James asked.

"Eh-Hem! I think that I might be able to fit it into my busy schedule. Anything for my Snuffle Bunny," he said as he leaped into the lap of a surprised Vivian.

"Snuffle Bunny?" She coughed, looking down at him questioningly.

"Hey, it was the best that I could think of at the moment, but I'm sure that as our relationship progresses, I will find new pet names for you." He paused, "Come to think of it, Schnookums has a nice ring to it."

"God, I hope that I never live to see that day come."

"First years follow me!" James bellowed over the roar of voices on the platform. A small stream of students followed him to where the boats waited on the bank of the lake.

"T'anks James," Hagrid whispered in a raspy voice. "I'm afraid that I couldn't yell even with my life depending on it. Damn cold."

"No problem Hagrid, always nice to be of help."

"Be'ter be off then or else y'll be late fer the sorting and th'e feast."

As James walked back to where the rest of the marauders had waited, his mind drifting to Lily Evans. She had always been gorgeous, but it seemed that when he saw her enter the prefect compartment that morning, her beauty seemed to shine. What was he thinking? His mind snapped back to reality. It was Lily Evans, the stuck up prick who always made sure that he paid for anything wrong that seemed to happen, even when on the very few times he had been innocent of the crimes. But still……

"What you thinking about Jamesy?" Sirius asked as he climbed into the carriage drawn by invisible horses.

"Nothing, just what's going to win us the award for most detentions."

"Now don't get ahead of your self there boys," Remus chuckled. "With Lily on your cases, I think that you won't even have to try to fulfill _that_ wish."

"She was looking mighty fine today wasn't she?" Peter, who had remained silent until then, asked.

"You thinking about asking her out, Wormtail?" Sirius inquired with a grin.  
"Of course not! I was just stating what was on everyone's mind." Peter replied defensively.

"Sure."

""Could we please stop talking about ruddy Evans? I think that if I hear her name one more time I'm going to puke!" James exclaimed rolling his eyes.

"Did someone forget to take their M idol this morning or do we maybe have some feelings about Lily we would like to share with the group?" Remus asked with a smile.

"The only feelings that Evans makes me feel are annoyance and exasperation. Let's just try to think of something pleasant, like what we're going to do to Snape." James offered with an evil grin. This kept all the boys occupied until the carriages reached the great doors, all four running into the entrance hall laughing like maniacs.

(A/N) so what did you all think my loves? Genius? I know, but you will have to wait for the next chapter. Haha. Anyway, review (please be kind, this is my first story and I would enjoy not being burned to death in mass amounts of flames). Next chapter is on the way!

Thanks to Rach, the cauldron is coming!


	2. Love is in the air

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor the world they live in. This goes for my first chapter as well, which I couldn't not find a way to replace with this heading. I DO however own my characters (Vivian) and the plot line that includes them.

"I can't wait for the sorting to be over," Viv said, greedily eyeing the extravagant display of empty plates that would soon be filled with food on the table in front of her.

"Am I going to have to put a muzzle on you?" Lily laughed eyeing her friend. "By the way, I think that you are drooling, so you might want to wipe that off before someone sees."

"Hello ladies!" Sirius exclaimed as he flopped into the seat across from Lily.

"And what have you boys been up to that caused you to miss the sorting? I hope that it wasn't illegal." Lily said eyeing him carefully as she grabbed a piece of chicken and started to munch on it.

Viv stopped shoveling food on to her plate long enough to say a quick hello to Sirius before savagely tearing into her baked potato.

"God, your almost as vicious as Sirius before he has had his shower in the morning. I almost lost a finger last time I tried to beat him to the bathroom, " Remus said eyeing Vivian attack her meal.

All Viv did in response, though, was grunt since she couldn't be bothered enough to quit eating in order to form a proper response.

After the meal, James and Lily had the daunting to task of showing the first years to their common room. It always seemed the at least one kid was lost in the long trek to the seventh floor.

"So if you could all stay together and not wander off, I'm sure tomorrow you will have time to explore." James (projected)?

"Now right here you have the moving stairway. I would recommend that you pay attention to it, because we have had people break bones from carelessness," Lily called to the students.

"Way to make them pee their pants, Lily." James whispered. "Now Lily," he said loudly," that has only happened twice. Nothing to worry about, just……Yes? Question?"

"Umm, what about quidditch?" A small boy with red hair asked.

"Each house has their own team, as I'm sure that you know. Each house holds try-outs at the beginning of the year if there are any open spots. Right now, we are in need of a good beater, and maybe a few mascots. If you are interested, then you can check for notices on the message board in the common room." James explained.

Lily was a few steps behind James, and as they turned the corner, she sped up to match his pace.

"You are seriously thinking about having mascots?" She asked in disbelief.

"Well, it's still up in the air, but I think that it is a good way tot get the younger kids involved with the team. Usually you have to be in at least the second or third year to at least be considered for the house team, and that can be heart breaking to the kids. I mean, Sirius was crushed when I made the team in my first year, and he had to wait till his second. Couldn't get him to stop crying, actually, although letting him ride my broom after practice cheered him up a bit."

"And you wonder why I think you are egotistical," Lily mumbled.

"What was that?" James asked turning to face her.

"I was just saying that we should tell them the new password," Lily smiled, and faced the group of first years behind her. "So, whenever you need to get to the common room, you just say the password, and the door will open. Now, each house has their own common room, and we are not allowed into any other but our own, this also goes for passwords, no one outside the house must know the password. Nunquam!" Lily said to the portrait on the fat lady in a pink dress. The portrait slid away to reveal the familiar site of the comfy Gryffindor common room, complete with Lily's favorite reading chair and multiple couches. On the couch near the fire Vivian and the Marauders were sitting laughing.

"So, here we are." James said, gesturing around the room. "The boys dorms are to the left and the girls are to the right. You will find that your trunks will already be up by your beds. Good night!"

"Night," Lily added to the group as she made her way tot he couch. "Scoot," she told Viv, and plopped down on the couch. "I swear that if I have to do that one more time I will scream!"

"Ya, you know what will cause ME to scream soon?" Viv replied glancing at an adoring Sirius who was sitting across from them on another couch. "He keeps making kissy faces at me, and it's starting to seriously creep me out. Will you cut it out?" She cried, throwing a pillow in Sirius's face.

"Hey! That was SO uncalled for! All I was doing was expressing my affection."

"Well, do it somewhere else, or else do it to someone else. And STOP staring at me!"Viv cried.

"Well, looks like you have been having fun without us," James observed as he sat down on the armrest of Remus's chair. "Anything interesting happen?"

"Besides me being assaulted by a pillow, no." Sirius said, turning to glare at Vivian. "I am never forgiving you for that. I hope it was worth it."

"Don't worry Sirius, it was." She said smiling.

"God, you don't know how good it is to get away from my parents, a whole nother year that I can go without having to see Petunia, or her stupid fiancé Vernon." Lily signed as she leaned farther back into the chair.

Lily knew that her parents meant well, but after a whole summer of having to travel with them, her patience was starting to wear thin. Her sister, well that was a whole nother matter. It seemed that Petunia was always on her nerves.

"I know what you are talking about," Remus agreed. "My parents always have trouble around the time of the full moon. I sometimes think that I am more of a burden on them, rather than a son."

"Don't be saying that." Lily cried. "How could anyone think someone as cute as you could ever be a burden?" she asked, getting up to playfully sit on his lap.

Something about seeing Lily sitting on Remus's lap set something off in James. What had been happening today? First he was thinking about how beautiful Lily was looking today and now he was getting jealous of his best friend because she was flirting with him.

"What is wrong with me?" James thought. "I'm sure that I will be fine in the morning, I just need sleep. That's all."

Sirius seemed to have forgiven Vivian in record time because James noticed he was now sitting on her lap.

"Lily, coming on a little strong aren't we?" James joked. "I mean, I would at least have thought that you would have waited at least a week into school before hooking up with someone. Have we gotten a little easy over that summer?"

The minute that he said it, James wished that he could have taken it back. He hadn't meant it the way it had sounded, well actually he had, but his feelings had taken control of him. The next thing he knew, the whole group was staring at him with open mouths. Even Sirius was shocked, which meant it was bad.

"Well, I can promise you one thing, at least I'll never be so "easy" as to come on to you. Like I would ever want to date someone with the head the size of a planet and the brain the size of a pea to go with it." Lily sneered.

"Well, Lily and I should be getting to bed. I don't know about you Lil, but I sure am beat." Viv said faking a yawn, trying to break the awkwardness, and pried Lily from the couch.

"I think that would be a good idea," agreed Remus, glaring at James.

"Good night boys," Viv said as both girls ascended the staircase.

"What is wrong with you James?" cried Remus after the girls had gone out of site. "It's only the first night and already you have found a way to ruin the good mood. What is it about Lily that won't let you ever get along with her, or at least go a few days without feeling the need to insult her? You're acting even worse that Sirius."

"Hey!" Chirped Sirius from the couch.

"My problem?" James gasped. In fact, he didn't even know what his problem was. He had yelled at Lily for no reason, but he wouldn't let them have to satisfaction of knowing that. "She had the nerve to tell me off in front of the first years! Can you think of what that will do to my stature? They will no longer fear me like they should, instead they will laugh at me behind my back and whisper, "There's the boy that got in trouble with the red haired girl."

"Wow, you have some serious issues," Remus sighed. "Will you just all do us a favor and lay off Lily, none of us want to see you two fight?"

"Whatever, I'm going to bed." James said as he sulked up the stairway leading to their dorm.

"They had better solve this problem soon, because I don't think that I could take much more of this." Sighed Remus, as he started up the stairway to follow James. Sleep would all do them good.

"Can you believe what a prat James is?" Lily asked as she slipped into her pajamas. The nerve!

"Well, it was kind of weird seeing you on Remus's lap, but what James said was completely uncalled for." Viv said brushing her hair. "You never know, maybe James was feeling a little jealous?"

Even the thought that James might have feelings for her made Lily laugh. It was obvious that he despised her, and she was only too happy to return the favor. It was stunts like this that made her happy to take away points and give him detention at every possible opportunity.

"You can't be serious! Did you not just hear what he said to me? If that was supposed to win me over, than I think he had get a new strategy." Lily said. "Plus, it's James! Ewwww?"

"Whatever, just think about, alright? Maybe the reason that you fight so much is because you can't face the fact that you both like each other?"

"I think that you need sleep even more than I do. You should hear what you are saying."

"Wake me up at 6?"Viv asked. Lily had been her personal alarm clock for the past 6 years, since Vivian could sleep through anything. Even on the highest volume, it still wouldn't wake her up, and the roommates couldn't take the high pitched screeching, so Lily was enlisted with the task.

"Sure, night."

"Night."

(A/N) so what did you think? Two chapters in one day. Haha. Anway, you should all review and tell me what you think. (although if you can, try not the make me burn to death in all the flames)


	3. One Trick Too Many

"I call first shower!" James cried, stumbling into the door in his haste.

"Watch out for the towel holders," Sirius mumbled.

"Prongs, I highly doubt the rest of us could beat you to the shower considering we were just ASLEEP!" Remus yelled. He was not a morning person, and working on three hours of sleep for the past week had not helped with his temper. What with packing and his transformation, there had been no time for such things as sleep. It had been a very lonely summer for the sandy haired boy. Without his friends to keep him company, the transformation was more intense and once in form, his thoughts all circled around killing. It was this inner monster that kept him at a distance from his piers. Even if they were comfortable with what he was, he could never face them if they could see into his head and glimpse the beast that was always lurking under the surface. Ever since the boys had learned to become illegal animagi, Remus had made great improvements with his self-loathing. He no longer saw his transformation as a curse. True, he would much rather be a normal boy, one who didn't turn into a wolf once a month, but with Sirius, James, and Peter around, he didn't seem like such a monster. Instead of risking an outing however, Remus has been forced to spend his summer months alone chained in the attic when the full moon came around. His parents tried to understand, but it was clearly out of their grasp. He would always be a burden to them, and no matter how talented a wizard he was, nothing would change their thoughts of him. The only reason he got strait A's in class, was his hope that they might notice him as a person instead of a beast.

Remus was shaken from his darks thoughts by a loud crash resonating around the room, followed a few minutes later with a slow groan.

"I told you that you should watch out for the towel rack James," Sirius laughed. Remus didn't remember hearing him wake up, but the other boy was unaware of his friend's troubles.

"Who fucking needs towel racks in the doorway? It's just plain inconvenient." James fumed. The bruise was already forming, but he knew a charm that would fix within seconds, leaving no mark behind.

"That never gets old," Sirius said. "If only he could be so stupid on a daily basis."

"We are talking about James right? Because I believe he really _is_ that stupid on a daily basis." Peter replied.

The clock then chimed telling them that it was about an hour till breakfast. First day of term always sucked, Remus thought, but unlike the other students there, he had one thought that would always brighten his day, Lily Evans.

Lily yawned, her jaw cracking from being opened so wide. She rolled over in her bed, relishing the feeling of the warm covers and the bliss that followed a good sleep. Although she was top in her class, thinking of leaving her bed made her want to cringe at the lessons that would be starting that morning. Summer had flown by, although when it was happening, it couldn't have ended soon enough. If she had to watch Petunia and Vernon snog on the front porch one more time, she was going to scream. All in all, the break had been well. Vivian had come to visit along with a few other girls of their year, and they stayed up long hours of the night to gossip about what was going to happen when they went back to Hogwarts.

"Viv, wake up," Lily mumbled, still half asleep, but in the back of her mind, a voice rang out that they should really be getting up.

"Hmmm, ya Lily, I'm awake." Viv said.

"No you're not," Lily observed, throwing back the covers on her bed, and starting towards the bathroom.

"Unlike you, I have no one to impress, so bathing would be obsolete," Vivian stated, pulling her pillow over her head. She hadn't slept much since visions of Sirius chasing her though out the castle had replayed in her mind the entire night.

"Please tell me that was just a statement that was born of pure sleep depravation, because if you really do plan on not bathing, you can kiss out friendship good bye." Lily stated.

"Fine! Are you happy?? I am up!" Vivian shouted, throwing the pillow at the bathroom door where Lily was standing. Lily quickly closed it and shouted through the door, "Morning Sunshine!"

The boys headed down to the common room showered and dressed in their robes, although looking still half asleep. They found Lily sitting in a little owl cove, reading a book, but Viv was nowhere to be seen.

"And where is my love this morning?" Sirius asked.

"Hmm, she mentioned something about bathing being obsolete thing morning, but I think she has seen the light and is now in the shower." Lily laughed. She stole a glimpse at Remus, and found him staring at her. He blushed a little when their eyes met, but didn't break his stare. James observed this, and seeing it caused something inside him to flare up. He dismissed it as just him being jealous of her for taking his friend's attention off himself, but the thought was still nagging at the back of his mind.

"So what are you reading, Lily" James asked, taking the book from her hands. The spine of the book said Pride and Prejudice. Must be some stupid chick novel from the Muggle world, he thought to himself. Maybe he could have a little fun with it though. He ran up the stairs to his dorm, yelling over his shoulder that he forgot something and would be back in a second.

"James wait, you still have my……book," she finished as he disappeared up the stairway.

"So, the first day of term, what do you think is going to be the most exciting thing in sixth year?" Remus asked Lily. Lily being the bookworm that she was, he expected her to say something about the classes she would be taking this year, but instead said something that surprised him.

"To tell you the truth, I'm the most excited about seeing the new quidditch team. Sirius has been sending me owls non stop this whole summer describing in great detail the practices that he and James have been having, and all the new plays they have put together." Lily replied. "Well, actually I think if was more James doing the practicing and Sirius just flying around into trees."

No one would guess it, but quidditch really was her favorite part about Hogwarts. Some thing about the fast pace, and the adrenaline that flowed through the players and oozed onto the crowd, made her feel like all the spells and classes were nice, but nothing compared to the sport.

"She rises," Sirius said, as Vivian emerged at the top of the girls' staircase, fluffing her wet hair with one hand, and trying to button the last few buttons her robes with the other.

"Care for some help?" Sirius asked with a grin.

"Sirius there is no way that I am going to voluntarily give you access to my chest, it's just not going to happen," Viv replied. The four of them laughed and James appeared at the top of the staircase holding a letter and Lily's book.

"About time," Lily sighed, as he handed her the book. "What took you so long?"

"I just remembered something that I needed to write parents to send," James smiled. Lily was so naive sometimes.

"And Lizzy felt his manhood swell beneath his riding pants," a seductive voice shouted, echoing the words through out the Great Hall. Lily held her spoon in mid air, looking down at the book that was sitting on the table next to her. It had started talking in complicated sentences describing sexual positions and scenes that Lily knew were not in the book.

"'Mr. Darcy' Lizzy cried," the book shouted, into the now silent room. In a wave, giggles erupted, and Lily quickly said a silencing charm on the book, to keep it from going any further.

"James!" She shouted. She looked down the table to where he was sitting, and was just in time to see the end of his robes flick around the corner of the door and disappear. He was going to get it, Lily vowed. She was never going to be able to read that book again in the same way, and he would pay for that.

The three remaining Marauders laughed at the end of the table, looking at the livid expression on Lily's face. They quickly focused in their bacon and oatmeal as soon as they glimpsed that she was headed their way.

"Where is he?" She demanded. Remus was the first to be composed enough to speak, and he told her that James could be anywhere by now.

"Well, when you see him, just remind him to watch his back, because prefect or not, I WILL get him," Lily seethed.

"I'll do that," Sirius said, collapsing into another fit of laughter. Lily just sighed angrily and stormed off the to library. Remus watched her go, and decided that the least he could do was help her calm down. At that moment, he would have taken any excuse to get close to Lily.

"Wait up," he called. Lily turned and waited; smiling when she noticed that it was Remus who had called. He jogged up the last few steps, and then they continued on the way to the library.

"I really am sorry about what James did. It was harsh of him to have your book become the next Dr. Ruth in front of everyone," Remus apologized.

"It's alright, I guess it was pretty funny, although I will never be able to read that book the same. Something about those riding pants and facts I really didn't need to know will sway my opinion of the book," she laughed. "Thanks for apologizing though, we all know James won't lower himself to do so, so it was nice to have someone do it for him." Lily smiled.

The reached the library doors, and Lily turned to him, "You really don't have to come in here if you don't want to. I know how much the four of you hate coming in here. All the scary books!" She teased.

"Well," Remus started. Should he say it, he thought? Will she laugh and tell him no, or will she say yes? Nervousness was consuming his body. "Um, Lily, do you maybe, that is if you don't have anyone else in mind, would you want to maybe go out sometime?" God he was stupid, he thought. If she could even sort out that she was asking her out from the piles of rubbish he happened to be spitting out, she still might not say yes.

"Remus, did you just ask me out?" Lily giggled.

"Yes, that is, only if you want. If you don't then you can always say no. No, it just rolls off the tongue, although many people don't like the word no. I myself when I am in a joking mood tell people Nin!" STUPID! He thought cringing. Can I just staple my mouth shut now, and quite while I still have some dignity left?

"Remus, I would love to go out with you sometime," Lily laughed. Why was he so nervous? Nin, what the hell was he talking about? She just smiled.

"I guess that means that I can finally do this then," Remus whispered, leaning in. He planted a soft kiss on her lips, and the warmth of him left a lingering tingle on her mouth.

"I guess that means you can," Lily said, leaning in for another kiss, this time though it wasn't so innocent.

James watched from the back of the study room as his friend kissed Lily lightly on the lips, and she pulled him forward again, this time deepening the kiss. He wouldn't have thought that he would wish that he could be in Remus's place kissing her, but he knew that deep down, he would die if he could just brush against her lips. Shaking himself from his trance, he slipped out of the library while Lily was still distracted. He knew that even though she was happy now, the minute she found him, he was dead meat. She knew enough charms to have him reeling for weeks without having to repeat one. He was only glad that her knowledge had no led her to look up more harmful charms.

As he left the library, he ran into someone around the corner and looked up to see that it was Sirius.

"Buddy, I have been looking everywhere for you! What is this, poisoning your mind with this non sense," he exclaimed looking at the library with a look of distaste on his face.

"Just hiding from Lily," James replied, dismissing his lasting feelings of seeing Lily with Remus. "Guess what I wouldn't have seen if I hadn't been in there though?"

Sirius smiled, "Ooo, secrets, I love secrets. This better be a good one though, the last time you had a secret it was that you put spiders in my oatmeal. It was only _after_ I ate the whole thing that you told me though," he sighed. "Not too bad I have to say. Kind of crunchy but with a hint of spice as well."

"Ok, back to earth Sirius." James said, shaking his head at this friend and snapping his fingers in front of his face. "Remus and Lily were getting busy in between the shelves."

"That dirty rotten bastard!" Sirius gasped. "He couldn't have waited until I was there? I wanted to see it," he whined. "Maybe I could get an instant replay in the common room tonight."

"Not a chance Sirius," Remus laughed, exiting the library with his arm around Lily.

"Once again I say, you dirty rotten bastard!" Sirius said. Lily chuckled, but was a little uncomfortable that James had seen then kissing. She couldn't help but feel a little dirty, knowing that people had watched them, it was a little to private to be on display in front of everyone. That was Hogwarts for you though, no privacy at all.

Her uncomfortable feelings soon faded as she remembered her anger at James.

"What the hell did you think you were doing with my book?" she asked, hitting James in the neck since her aim was not the greatest. "Do you have any idea how many looks I got when my book started spouting out….profane things?"

James just coughed from the blow to his wind pipe, while Sirius chuckled, and Remus tightened his hold around Lily's waist but neither of them helped him ward off the blows she was showering on him.

"Is any one going to help me?" he rasped. How could his friends just stand there and watch him get the crap kicked out of him by a girl? Well, just goes to show that even when you think you know someone, they can always surprise you when a crazed red head decides to turn her wrath on you and beat you down in the hallway for all to see.

"Sorry James, but I need some pointers on how to accomplish my noble task of mascot, and this is proving to be a great tutorial. Now should I come in from the right…or would the left be better? Wow, nice left-hook Lily!"

Finally, Remus decided that James had had enough, and pulled Lily out of reach, leaving the black haired boy to catch her breath with a bleeding nose and cut lip. James looked like he had just gotten into a gang fight in the alleyways of London, instead of being brought down by a sixteen-year-old girl.

"If you even so much a glimpse at Sense and Sensibility, it will be three times this." Lily said. "Now if you boys will excuse me, I had best be getting on my way, I still have to grab my books before I head off to class. See you in transfiguration."


	4. A Little Pissy, I Think So

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters nor the world that they live in, however I do own Vivian and my plot lines. By the way, this goes for chapter three as well. Have fun, and……chapter four!

Once she was out of hearing distance, Remus and Sirius burst out laughing again. James muttered a few curse words under his breath, and healed his wounds with a few simple spells.

Sirius pretended to hold a microphone, and said, "I am standing here with James Potter, who was just minutes ago beaten by a furious red headed girl, and publicly humiliated." He shoved his fist near James mouth and asked, "So James, what was it like to know that after today, you can never show your face outside of the common room again? Any thoughts on what you would have done differently if you could rewind and replay it again?"

"Har har, Sirius." James sneered. "How about next time you keep your girlfriend on a leash?" James scoffed at Remus.

"What has gotten into you?" Remus asked, anger rising in his voice. "If I didn't know better, I would say that you were jealous. Perfect James Potter finally getting what he deserves and from a girl no less."

"I don't need to take this from you," James said, stalking off down the hallway breathing heavily from the anger pulsing through his veins.

"James, can't well all just kiss and make up?" Sirius asked. "And no tongue, I know how you get, you devilish fiend you!"

James was too angry though to laugh, or even to turn around, and instead kept walking to where he had left his bag before breakfast, counting the minute until he would be in his favorite class of the day, transfiguration.

"So what you're saying is that after you left the hall, you made out with Remus in the library, and then kicked the crap out of James in the hallway? How is it that I miss all the good things?" Viv cried. "I knew I should have cut myself off and two eggs, but that third one looked some lonely there sitting on the plate I just had to eat it," she sighed.

Lily laughed at her friend's comment, and pointed her wand at the rats they had been given to practice the translation spell on.

"Parlienté" Vivian said, and her rat began to mutter random words in Spanish.

"You're doing it all wrong," Lily said. "It's "Parlian-tay, not Parlienté." She explained.

She said the spell herself, and in a high pitched voice the rat before her began to ramble off about the wonderful piece of cheese it had been fed before the class period.

"Sor-ry Ms. Perfect. Maybe I should just go hang out in the back with Melvin and eat my bugers since I'm obviously not good enough to sit with you," Viv joked.

"Now Vivian," Sirius laughed. "You do that anyway without having to sit next to Melvin. And how do the fruit of your nasal cavity taste?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Vivian asked. "I seem to recall seeing you once or twice sneak a taste of the forbidden "fruit" when you thought no one was looking. Does potions last week sound about right to you?"

"I had a cold and you know it!" Sirius said defensively.

"Like it really matters if you're sick or not when your digging for treasure and then eating what you've found!" Vivian said loudly.

The class got silent, and Professor McGonagoll stared at the two of them from over her desk. The lowered their voices to a dull roar, and continued with the conversation.

"Picking your nose is nothing to be ashamed of," Sirius said. "I'm sure all the great wizards did it, whether it be in the privacy of their own home, or in the street of Diagon Alley."

Vivian burst out laughing at his comment, unable to keep a strait face. "Whatever," she just said. "So Lily, what are you going to do for your birthday? It's in three days right?" Viv asked with a smile. She was going to make this _the _party to attend, the social event of the season.

"Well, I was thinking of having a small something. Maybe get some snacks from the kitchens and then have some music." Lily replied. She could tell that not only was her suggestion boring, it was clearly nothing like what Vivian had in mind.

"Snooze-ville!" She cried. Lily could be such an old lady sometime! She thought.

"I agree with Vivian. I mean, maybe I would have a good time if I was in a retirement home and was too old and frail to move and had no choice but to sit there in my rocker while I secretly wishing for my death, but even then it would be a stretch." Sirius said.

"Wow, that was a little to detailed right there Sirius," Lily laughed. "I personally don't think that it sounds that bad though. What did you have in mind?"

Vivian's hand shot into the air and she pantomimed her plans. "Picture this: a tree covered with lights, night time, a picnic, enough butter beer to get 50 house elves drunk, a music extravaganza, enough food to choke a rhino, and fireworks."

"Don't you think that sounds just a little overdone?" Lily asked. True she would be turning 16, but it still sounded like too much. Was the "extravaganza" and fireworks really necessary?

"Over done? If anything I would say it sound..under done," Sirius said. "You know Viv, you look mighty sexy when you pantomime. If you wanted to come over some night, I would love to see a private showing."

"SIRIUS!" Vivian yelled.

"Mr. Black and Ms. Johnson, detention tonight. You will both be receiving letters at lunch informing you of when and where you should be reporting to serve your punishment." McGonagall informed them.

"Great going perv," Vivian said.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me!" Sirius exclaimed.

Vivian just let out a hiss on anger, but kept quiet to make sure that this would be the only detention she would have to serve in the presence of Sirius Black, well at least voluntarily.

The lunch wasn't much better. All students had gotten their schedules for the year at breakfast, and Lily was practically shaking from excitement when she remembered that they had charms this afternoon. As she reached to take the plate of rice from Peter, who sat across that table, the hem of her sleeve caught on her goblet of pumpkin juice. Orange liquid splashed everywhere, and Lily's robes were drenched.

"Smooth move," some one snorted. It was James.

"Why don't you do us all a favor and crawl into a hole and die, Potter? I would have though that you would have learned your lesson after this morning. Your lip seems to have healed nicely," Lily sneered. This was not the time for James to be picking on her. Not only was she still steaming from last night's fight, she was soaked with pumpkin juice and had a plate full of soggy eggs and toast. "I'm going to change. I'll meet you at charms," Lily said, making sure to glare at James, and left.

"Once again, I would have to say that you are THE stupidest person ever." Remus commented. He hadn't been speaking to James the entire morning, except to insult him, and James wasn't helping the situation with making fun on Lily at every possible occasion.

"I think I'm going to head to charms early and maybe see if I can get some help on a few spells that my father told me about this summer," Remus told the group. James just grunted and continued ignoring him. Remus just glared at him, and picked up his things to go.

As they watched his back retreating, two school owls swooped down and each gave Vivian and Sirius a letter. They both would be serving the same detention of polishing every trophy in the hallway manually without any magic. It was a good thing that it was only the first day of term and they hadn't had much homework so far, since the task usually took about three to four hours.

Once she had read her letter, Vivian started in on James.

"What is your deal, James? Lily was really upset last night, plus with the book prank this morning, you quickly making you way to the top of her shit list." Viv said.

"I don't know what my deal is. Personally, I think that this is all getting blown out of proportion. I mean, all I did was insult her, and I could have said many things that were worse, and then everyone is down my throat. Plus, the book was funny! It's not like us fighting is a new thing." James replied.

"Yes, but you would have to understand that we have had to put up with this for six years and it's about time that you two got over whatever it is between you that is causing you to fight. And it better be fast." Peter said.

(PS. I don't like Peter very much so I don't think that he will be talking much, but just know that he is always there with the guys)  
"Wow, Pete, those are some pretty harsh words coming from someone that never talks," James sneered.

"I just care about Lily, that's all," Peter responded defensively.

"So, we have been friends for six years, and now you want to take her side? Why don't you just bloody ask her out? I'm sure that Remus will come to his senses and dump her soon, so she will be jumping at your offer." James said, storming out of the hall and slamming the doors behind him.

"He really needs some Midol." Sirius whispered.

"Lily this, Lily that. Why don't they all just forget that I exist and create an "I Love Lily" fan club? Honestly, I don't know what the fuss is about her. True, she is gorgeous, but her personality is horrific. I mean, where is her sense of humor?"

"Maybe she just doesn't find jeering remarks about her especially funny," some one offered from behind James.

He turned to find that it was Snape. Great, so not only did his friends take Lily's side, but he also had to hear about her from his enemy as well. Why didn't he just tape a sign to his forehead that said, "Let's all gang up on James today!" and let them have at him.

"Oh, and I suppose you would be a better judge on how to treat her? Well, I'm sure that you would be the best person to give advice on how to handle girls, since you have a) never had a girlfriend and b) never had a girl that was a friend." James breathed angrily.

He really didn't need this from Snape.

"Your wrong, as usual. I do have a friend that is a girl, and she happens to be Lily. You would be surprised about how many things we have in common. But it's our hate for you that really bring us together. I just wanted to thank you for being so pig headed, or else we never would have become friends." With that, Snape turned and headed towards that dungeon. True it was a lie that he and Evans were friends, but the look on James face had made the fib well worth it. Snape would do anything to see James Potter's ego deflated, and he would stop at very little to make sure that it happened quite a few times this year. If he could only find Malfoy, they could begin on the new plan. Voldemort was once again getting strong, and Potter and his annoying family needed to be taken care of as soon as possible.

"See you around Potter," Snape sneered, turning to the dungeons to return to the common room.

"Bite me Snape!" James cried at Snape's receding back. Snape tensed a bit, but kept walking.

"Soon," he thought. "Then I will wipe that smile off your face Potter, and it will be well worth what it will cost me to give."

Remus entered the charms classroom to find that it was empty except for the professor and he let out a sign of relief. The small man sat behind a desk, and was only partially visible over the stack of huge books that occupied most of the surface of his desk.

"Umm, Professor Flitwick?" Remus asked.

"Ah, Mr. Lupin. So good to see you, although class doesn't start for another hour." Professor Flitwick replied, smiling. "Is there something that I can do for you young man?"

"Well, this summer I was having some pretty violent changes, and I was just wondering if there was a charm that would make it a more tranquil transformation." Remus wondered.

"I hate to break it to you, but I think this would be something you would have to bring up with the potions master, Mr. Galdran. There are some charms that might help, but nothing that you would be able to do soon enough to be of any help for the next full moon a three weeks. They are very advanced, and although you are a great student, even very experienced wizards have taken years to learn and master them." Professor Flitwick said. "However, there is a potion that would help, and I'm sure if you asked nicely enough, Mr. Galdran would brew for you and give to Madame Pomphrey for your next transformation."

"Thanks for your help," Remus said, heading back out to door intending to head back to the common room and meet up with Lily after she changed.

"Anytime," the small man replied.

A/N: Next time….dun dun dun….it's the SONG!!!! If you don't know what I am talking about, you soon will. Thanks to all the reviewers, and David if you read this, you are a bastard. Bastard with a capital "B"!


	5. Fights and Facial Hair

**Author's Note**: **I did not write Harry Potter and therefore do not own the rights to the character names and places in which my story takes place. My plot and a few select characters are my own, so please don't steal them. **

"Lily, calm down. I think if you slam one more cupboard, the entire room is going to collapse." Vivian told her friend, wincing once again as yet another drawer was shoved into place. Lily had been in moods like this before, mostly at the hands of Potter, but Vivian could tell that this time there was something behind her customary front of anger that was never there before. Vivian was forced to put her thoughts aside however as she heard another slamming noise, this time it was the door to their dorm.

"Lily, this isn't fair," she pleaded, practically running to keep her friend in sight. "You shouldn't let him get to you like this, and you shouldn't be taking your anger out on the furniture. Think about it, what did the dresser or the closet ever do to you?" Viv feebly joked.

"Vivian Deirdre O'Connor!" Lily said, causing her friend to wince at the use of her full name. "This is not a time for your jokes. I would have thought that you would have taken a hint after getting a detention that there are some times when you just need to _shut up!_" Lily said, her face turning red with anger and lack of oxygen.

The words hit Vivian like a hammer, and she was left with a stunned look on her face. In her mind she was weighing the situation, she could either walk away, something that looked mighty fine at the moment, or she drop the subject and let Lily blow off her steam somewhere else, avoiding a confrontation.

"I'm going to go find Sirius," Vivian said cooly, excusing herself as quickly as she could before Lily could make some scathing remark about that as well. She was almost through the portrait when she noticed Remus just entering. She muttered a few words of caution to the perplexed boy as she made her escape, and prayed that he would fare better with her. Good Luck, she thought, you're going to need it.

"No Sirius, I will not let you shave off my eye-brow," James said in a deadpan voice. He was still in no mood to face either Remus or Lily, and Sirius' constant bombardment about which body parts James would allow him to shave was not helping. (No dirty places, get your mind out of the gutter!)

"Aw, come on James! It would make you feel so much better!" The shaggy haired boy pleaded, trying to cover her devilish grin with a pout.

"You mean it would make _you_ feel so much better," James smiled. It was something about the absurdity of the matter that made me push aside his thoughts and grin. "I might be willing to consider it if you would let me shave that faint tuft of peach fuzz that you like to pass off for facial hair."

Sirius gasped at even the thought of letting go of his carefully cultured facial hair, bringing his hand up to unconsciously hide it from view as if to protect it by keeping it out of sight. "You wouldn't dare," he hissed.

"Do you seriously know me so little?" James asked.

"It took me years to get this far." Sirius pleaded.

"Well, when you get to become a real man like me, Padfoot, you'll have no problem growing a little scruff." James joked as he puffed out his chest.

Sirius punched James on the arm, but there was still a tint to his eye that managed to say that something was coming, but wouldn't give away exactly what.

"You're unusually distant this afternoon. Still brooding over the little…incident this morning." Sirius said, abandoning his grin and turning a serious face to James. There were very few times Sirius was ever serious, but when he decided to grace you with his wisdom, it meant that the matter was important enough to take him away from his jokes. Only concern for his friends, or the safety of his family, including even his crazed pure-blood mother, shook him from his pranks. (hint hint…maybe something about this in later chapters? Hmmm?)

"I think that you should just suck it up and apologize before things get any worse. You have to admit that you were a bit tackless in the word department this afternoon, my friend."

Although James was still in thought about various revenge plans to play on the red headed demon, and werewolf pal, he thought on Sirius' words. Hs eye caught Vivian making a mad dash for the portrait, and cursed under his breath when he saw who it was that nearly collided with her. It's now or never, he thought, making his was to Remus, while still battling the voices in his mind that were screaming "Run away, run away!"

"………Remus?" James asked, as he intercepted the sandy haired boy at the stairs leading to the dorms. His voice sounded weak and dry as if he hadn't drank anything for a week.  
"What is it James? Come to make fun of me again and cause Lily to cry? Weren't satisfied with having her run off to the dorm, you have to finish the task?" Remus fumed. James had never seen his friend be so fired up over something. It hurt him to hear his words, although he did commend Remus on abandoning his constant politeness for once in his life. They could make a man out of him yet, James smiled.

"I thought that I might owe you an apology. I should have never said those things to you." James told Remus. "Friends?" He asked, clearing his through to make his last comment sound less sensitive. If there was one thing he was not good at, it was expressing his feelings. No matter how many girls he had been with, he eventually found himself not being able to find the words, or sincerity, to say how he felt. Most of the time however, he was just trolling for a piece of ass so it never got around to talk of feelings and the like, but there was something about a friend that both lightened the effort and increased it none the less. You didn't have to say as much, but the words you did say had more meaning than with others. (that was a little sappy, but come on….cute as well?)

Remus looked James up and down, searching for any clue that might help him decide to take the apology as sincere or not. He could tell that James meant what he said, and decided that if they were going to be planning any big pranks to kick off the year, it would be best if the two smartest Marauders were on speaking terms.

"Sure, but just lay off Lily because next time, it's going to take more than an apology to get me to even glance in your direction." The two boys shared a quick hug, and jumped apart when they heard Sirius say over their shoulders, "What about your leg hair?"

**Page Break** (these things always get cut out when it get posted, so I thought I would just write the words out and hope for the best.)

The charms classroom was as usual very loud. Since Remus and James were once again on speaking terms, there was not reason for the Marauders no to scream at each other across the room as one person commented on the others' ability. Lily was starting to get a headache, not added to her bad mood, but she was convinced that she would survive until after the period to go to the hospital wing to get a potion. She couldn't help but notice that Remus had forgiven James although she didn't blame him. They were best friend after all.

It wasn't until the silence was becoming particularly awkward that Lily decided she owed Vivian an apology. They had not been speaking to each other after Lily's outburst in the dorm earlier, but the spell they were learning wasn't giving them much time to talk anyway. As always, Lily was the first to master it, being the top student in every class except transfiguration and divination. She and Remus were tied for the top in defense against the dark arts grade wise, but she secretly thought that he would be able to beat her in a duel if it came down to it. There was something about being able to perform complicated charms in class, and curses that was distinctly different.

"Listen Viv, I was thinking about earlier and I just wanted to say that I had no right to blow up on you like that," Lily apologized.

Vivian was silent a minute and then said, "I don't know if I can forgive you. You really hurt my feelings back there." Vivian turned away quickly to hide the smile on her face, and Lily was left babbling, attempting to find something to say that would get her best friend to forgive her.

"I didn't mean it! It was just my frustration at James…..wait a minute. Are you laughing?" She asked as she began to hear a slight snorting noise from the girl in front of her.

"Sorry Lil, but it was just too easy. I know it was James, it's no problem" Vivian said smiling. "So thought anymore about what I suggested for your party?"

"Yes," Lily groaned. Birthdays were never very fun since it seemed that year after year the Marauders had thought it would be funny to pull some stunt on her every birthday at Hogwarts. Last year it had happened to be a dancing half naked house elf they had managed to con into getting into her cake. If seeing a skinny elf jump out of you cake wasn't scary enough, he had proceeded to sing the song, "Happy Birthday, Ms. Prefect" no doubt something either Sirius or James had taught him the words to. If Marilyn Monroe could have seen it she would have rolled over in her grave from shame. Lily had been mortified, and was not eager to have a repeat. This year she was going to play it safe and have a small gathering of just her Vivian, Remus, and maybe a few select others, and James was not on the "select others" list. Nothing was going to get her convinced to pull whatever Vivian had in mind.

"You aren't still hung up on that big party are you?" Lily replied, eyeing her friend suspiciously.

"Noo! I mean it's not like it's a big deal or anything. You _are_ only going to be sixteen and all."

"How big?" Lily asked, cutting to the chase.

"Well, let's just say that I was thinking along the lines of a fifty of your closest friends." Vivian said, while carefully not taking her eyes of her subject to gage her friend's expression.

Lily sighed and knew that the debate wasn't going to be solved easily. "We'll talk about this later," she said.

The rest of the period passed quickly, much to Lily's disappointment. The two girls left the classroom arguing over how many people would really be invited to the party. They didn't even notice when the boys headed down the corridor and disappeared.

AN: sorry for taking so long to update but this damn computer has taken it's time getting fixed, not to mention getting all my storied deleted on my mac. I had to rewrite this entire chapter, which sucked but what are you going to do? Review review review! And if you have to time, then check out my new story, After Tragedy.

Elyse


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